WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today selected four organizations to receive nearly $8.4 million to develop technologies that will improve grid reliability, optimize electricity infrastructure, and facilitate grid connection with renewable resources. DOE’s Office of Electricity (OE) and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) are jointly funding these projects from DOE’s February 2023 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The selected projects are designed to accelerate the development of Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) that maximize electricity transmission across existing systems to lower operating costs.

The $8.4 million in DOE funding includes $6.8 million from OE and $1.5 million from EERE’s Wind Energy and Solar Energy Technologies Offices.

“DOE’s goal to modernize America’s electricity grid will make the 21st-century power grid a reality rather than a far-away concept,” said Gene Rodrigues, Assistant Secretary for Electricity. “Modernization will integrate grid-enhancing technologies into our existing system and result in better grid performance, stability, and affordability. We congratulate the selectees and look forward to their innovations that will help us reach the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035.”

The following entities will perform research, development, and demonstrations that enable broad adoption of next generation GETs tools and systems throughout the energy sector. The technologies they deploy will help optimize infrastructure in existing rights of way. They will also facilitate renewable resource interconnection and market access by improving the reliability and efficiency of power transfer. These entities, which are each receiving nearly $2.1 million, include:

• Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA – Selected for Deployment and Demonstration of Advanced Power Flow Control (APFC) and Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) Solutions to Accelerate Renewable Interconnection and Load Electrification:
  • This project will develop tools to model and optimize multiple GETs deployments and mechanisms to integrate GETs with existing systems and utility operations. If successful, this project will provide system operators and relevant stakeholders with field-validated APFC and DLR implementation models, deployment procedures, and key system infrastructure and resiliency metrics that will facilitate the integration of GETs in future business models and accelerate their deployment, thus advancing the nation's decarbonization and energy equity goals.
• NV Energy, Las Vegas, NV – Selected for Direct and Indirect Contact DLR Technologies; Digital Twin Technologies for Increasing Transmission Capacity and Reducing Congestion Without Reconductoring:
  • This project studies power line capacity to develop methods to enhance grid resilience and expand transmission capacity for renewable energy sources. The project will identify optimal locations for sensors to minimize the number needed. This information will be the foundation to keeping the lights on, lowering costs, and creating clean energy jobs for Nevadans and other communities.
• Pitch Aeronautics Inc., Boise, ID – Selected for Demonstration of Rapid Deployment of Overhead Monitoring Sensors in Combination with Weather-Based DLR System:
  • This project will be the first comprehensive real-world demonstration of DLR in the western United States and has the potential to increase transmission capacity, reduce congestion costs, and facilitate the interconnection of renewable energy. This project’s impact could allow wider integration of renewable energy into the power grid and avoid substantial costs from the curtailment of power generation.
• University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT – Selected for DLR Robust Validation, Enhancement and Field Demonstration in New England with Changing Weather and Offshore Wind Integration:
  • This project will develop grid-enhancing technologies that help integrate large amounts of electricity from offshore wind while enhancing electrical grid resilience. Specifically, it will analyze long power lines in Massachusetts using sensors to see how well these new technologies work in real life, especially with the nation’s first utility-scale 800 MW Vineyard offshore wind farm nearby.

Learn more about the Office of Electricity and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.